Artificial limb.



No. 876,017. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908. G. X. ROBERTS.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 9, 1907.

No. 876,017. PATENTBD JAN. 7, 1908. G. X. ROBERTS.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 9, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

15206261 07; fi'earyalf'a'fierzl'g. y ;1 [1 a GEORGE X. ROBERTS, Ol BRA'JTLIIBORO, VERMONT.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

Application filed October 9. 1907- Serlal No. 396.539.

To all N'IIO'IIL it may concern:

Be it known that GEORGE X. Ronnnrs, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Brattleboro, in the county of Windham and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Im )I'OVC- ments in Artificial Limbs, of which t e following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention pertains to im rovements in artificial limbs, more especial y artificial legs, although certain portions or features thereof may be applicable in conjunction with arm members.

One object of the invention is to provide for upper and lower leg members, a construction of duplicated joint capable of permitting most readily and conveniently the attachment and detachment of the lower leg member with and from the upper or thigh member.

Another object is to provide means for detachabl locking the lower member of the artificia leg which is pivotally connected to the upper member, so that at pleasure such lower member may be maintained as a rigid nether extension of the thigh member, to be of convenience to, and to conduce to the comfort of, the wearer who may have occasion to stand, for long periods, as for in stance, up to a bench or machine.

Other objects are to construct the joint connections with a view to simplicity and cheapness of construction, and durabilit under lon extended usage. And a stil further ob ect of the invention is to rovide in an artificial limb, within the soc et for receiving the stump of an amputated le or arm,an inflatable internally encirc ing band or cushioning sack, in conjunction with which are provided novel ways and means for the attachment of the cushioning band or sack, and for its most satisfactory and serviceable disposition in its relation to the socketed limb.

The invention consists in combinations or arrangements of parts and the constructions of certain of the parts all substantiall as hereinafter fully described and set fort in the claims.

Exemplifications of the present improvements in artificial limbs are represented in the accompanying drawings, in which, Figure 1 is a side e evation of an artificial leg .having the detachable pivot joint or connection, and understood as having means, mostly located on the rear or inner side for locking the lower leg member to render it as a rigid extension of the upper or thigh member. Fig. 2 is a side View of the endwise overlap )ed and detachably pivotally connected mm of the upper and lower leg members in their connected relation. side view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in separated relations. Fig. 4 is a view 'of the parts shown in Fig. 2, but as seen at the opposite side thereof. Fig. 5 is a sectional View through the joint, as seen on line 55, Fig. 2, and drawn on a larger scale. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is across sectional view on line 7- 7, 4. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of an artificlal leg having in the stump socket of the lower member thereof the inflatable cushioning appliance. Fig. 9 is a somewhat similar view butshowing the stump socket portion and inflatable cushioning appliance in central vertical section. Fig. 10 1s a perspective view of the inflatable stump socket cushioning appliance. tional view of parts shown in Fig. 9, but drawn on a larger scale for increased clearness /of illustration. Fig. 12 is a horizontal cross section taken on line 1212, Fig. 10.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts-in all of the views.

Referring to Sheet 1 of,the drawings, in which an artificial leg is represented, A represents the lower leg member and B the upper member or appliance; and on the sides of said members A and B are rigidly aliixed bars a and b which are endwise made of partially circular form, facewise overlapped and detachably pivotally joined by means as follows. One of the bars, for instance the one a has at its rounded extremity the concentric rigid stud d having at its outer end portion a peripheral groove whereby a shoulder c is Fig. 3 is a Fig. 11 is a vertical secproduced, while the rounded extremity of the bar b has a hole f therethrough to freely fit over the shouldered studd. The thickness of the end portion of the bar (1 is less than the length of extension of the stud beyond the face of the bar a, whereby the shoulder 0 stands slightly outwardly beyond or clear from the outer face of the bar I) when the same is engaged over the stud; and compactly disposed in its facewise relation to the adjacent bar.

' joints,

D represents a plate pivotally connected at e on the outer face of the bar 6 at its end portion, and to swing relatively thereto; and said plate is provided with an are shaped recess g whereby it is adapted by such recessed portion to en age with and be disengaged from the shouliler of the pivot stud d, as represented in Fi s. 1, 2, 5 an'd6. The saidplate for the. inter ocking engagement with the shoulder of the pivot stud is made with a spring delleelive extremity h and with an angularly turned end i for a detachable, spring, or snap catch,engagement in a small socket in the bar I).

.When the joint forming extremities of the two bars (I and b are connected and the looking plate. l) swung to engagement at the margins of the recess 9 with the pivot stud shoulder c, and the retention of the plate in its so interlocked position by the engagement of the angularly turned end i in the hole 1' is assured, there can be no liability of the one leg member from becoming disconnected or detached from the other, and yet all freedom of pivotal action or swinging movement of the one member relatively to the other will be permitted unless purposely prevented by the joint locking means to be next described.

The rounded end of the bar a is ofl'set or thickened and made with a depression or rabbet, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, as somewhat common in halved together hinge and the rounded end of the bar b is accommodated in this rabbet and partially ed ewise inclosed by an arc shaped wall 0.

n the edge of the offset or thickened rounded end portion of the bar a is a recess or bolt socket m; and a bolt n is slidable in a guideway constituted byparallel lips or ribs 1) p formed or provided on the inner side of the bar b;that is the side opposite from that at which the pivoted locking plate D is carried.

The line of movement of the bolt n is radial to the pivot stud d. An operating stud r for the bolt n projects throu h a slot (1 in the bar'band has a knob or e argement on the front or outer side of the bar to facilitate the sliding of the bolt into engagement with the recess or socket m to lock the bar I) rigidly to the bar a, or the reversed sliding of the bolt for leaving the jointed parts free for their swinging or, hinge like action within proper limits.

The limitation of the swinging movement of the bar a and lower leg member relatively to the upper leg member or appliance and its bar I) is insured by the provision of an arc shaped-rabbet s at the margin of the rounded extremity of the bar b and by the provision of a lug or projection t at the are shaped wall or hinge boundary 0 to extend into the rabbet or depression s and to engage I the shoulders s at the ends thereof.

The position and arrangement of the parts svaoiv of the hinge stop to avoid all liability of the trousers or underwear being caught in the knee joint of the artificial 10 when the latter has t e members thereof in oubled u relations. In the artiiicial le shown in S icet 2 of the drawi s, in whic it is understood that the lower 0;: member A is to be sustained or suspended from the upper leg member or appliance by any suitable connection or joint, the leg member A is provided with an upwardly open socket for receiving the stump of an amputated leg, in which is provided an inflatable lining or band F to constitute a cushioned and comfortable seat or rest for thestump. While in the disposition of the inflatable seat within the stump socket, such seat is racticall annular and extends substantia ly entire y around and within the wall of the socket, I prefer in practice to produce the inflatable seat in the form of a band comprising a sack for the reater portion of its length, having the em? portions thereof converged and closed as represented at u M, F' 12, with'extremities made with lacing ho es '0 v. The hollow band or sack is provided with an inflating valved tube w for relast referred to are such asv ceiving connection therewith of an ordinary air pump.

The inflatable band or sack is 'provided at the lower inner and upper outer ed es thereof with flaps or lips a: and y, preferably longitudinall continuous; and the upper or outer one of tliiese flaps is return bent or folded, as represented in Figs. 9 and 11 and disposed wlthin the separable layers or walls 2 2 at the mouth of thestum socket and united therein by-a lacing cor or other fastening interengaged with the several flaps or layers, for instance as represented at 2? in Figs. 8 and 9. The inner and lower fla of the inflatable sack is disposed against t e inner surface of the stump socket wallsuitably below the top thereof and there held by a lacing cord 00 or other selected form of fastening.

'0 in Fig. 10 represents the vertical lacing for uniting the a proached or adjoined ends of the inflatable band. The inflatable band or sack may be constituted by thin elastic sheet rubber, or suitable compounds of rubber or other material, and the flaps or lips a: and 'y may be com osed of rubber integrally made with the sac or of textile material cemented or otherwise secured thereto.

In Fig. 8 the upper leg member or thigh encircling appliance B and the lower leg member A are connected by crossed cords or lacings lunderstood as provided at the outer and lnner sides of the leg. The inflatable cushioned stump socket seat, as apparent will be self conforming to the contour of the stump of an amputated limb and will conduce to greater comfort and convenience to the user than would be the case were a padded or fashioned seat or lining provided. .Th'e inflatable seat may be blown up only moderately, or extremely hard, as may be preferred; and it may be, after protracted usage and deterioration replaced.

1. In an artificial leg, in combination, upper and lower le members and overlapped and pivotally jointed bars provided at the side of said members, one bar having a laterally extended, shouldered pivot stud, and the other a hole whereby it may be engaged over, and beyond the shoulder of, said stud, and said latter bar having a plate shiftable thereon, and provided with a recess, opening to the edge thereof, and adapted by such recessed )ortion to engage with, and be disengaged rom, the shouldered pivot.

2. In an artificial leg, in combination,- upper and lower leg members and endwise overlapped, and pivotall jointed, bars provided at the side of sai members, one bar having a laterally extended shouldered pivot stud, and the other a hole whereby it may be engaged over said stud, and said latter bar havin a plate'pivotally connected and to swing thereon, provided with a recess, opening to the edge thereof, adapted by such recessed ortion to engage with, and be disengaged rom the shouldered pivot, and also provided with a spring-deflective extremity aving an angularly turned end for detachable engagement in a socket which is provided therefor in the bar on which said plate is pivotally connected.

- 3. In an artificial leg, 1n combination, up-- per and lower leg members, bars affixed on the side of said members and endwise overlapped, means for detachably pivotally connecting the one bar to the other, and means for detachably locking one of said bars as a rigid continuation of the other.

4. An artificial leg comprisin up er and lower members havin bars rigid y a xed on the side thereof an endwise overlapped, with means for detachably ivotally connecting the one bar to the ot er and means for limitin the extent of swinging movement whic one of the said bars may have relatively to, the other.

5. An artificial leg comprisin upper and lower members havin bars rigid y affixed on the side thereof, en wise overlapped, and pivotally connected, one of said bars having a recess in its end portion, and a locking bolt slidably carried on the other of said bars and adapted to be engaged in and disengaged from said recess.

6. An artificial leg comprisim upper and lower members having bars rigidly affixed on the side thereof, endwise overlapped and pivotally jointed, one of said bars having an edgewise recess in the end portion thereof adjacent the pivot and the other one of said bars having a guideway on the side thereof, and a slot therethrough, a bolt slidable in said guideway and adapted by the end thereof to engage into said recess and having a stud projected through said slot and protruding at the opposite side of the bar.

7. In an artificial leg, in combination, upper and lower leg members and endwise overlapped, and pivotally jointed, bars provided at the side of said melnbers,one bar having a laterally extended shouldered pivot stud, and an edgewise opening recess in its end portion adjacent the pivot bar having a hole whereby it may be engaged over said stud, having also a plate pivotally connected and to swing thereon, provided with an edgewise opening recess, to engage with, and to be disengaged from the shouldered pivot, and rovided with a s ring-dellective extremity having an angu arly turned end for detachable engagement in a socket which is provided therefor in the said plate-carrying bar, and said bar having on its side 0 posite said pivoted plate a guide way, {LIN a slot therethrough, a bolt slidable in said guideway, to engage and disengage the edgewise recessed first named bar, provided with a "stud projected through said slot and protruding beyond the side of the bar.

8. A memberof an artificial limb having a stum socket at an end thereof which is rovider with an inflatable sack extem ing internally therearound.

9. A member of an artificial limb having a stump socket at an end thereof, a band made in the form of a sack and inflatable for the greater portion of its length, having the end portions thereof provided with uniting fastenlngs and arranged within, and constituting a cushioning lining for, the stum socket.

10. A member of an artificia limb having a stump socket at an end thereof which is rovided with an inflatable sack extending internally therearound, said sack having at an edge thereof a lip or flap and means for connectin said flap with the wall ofthe stump soc et.

7 11. An artificial limb or member havin a stump socket at an end thereof, an inflata le sack extending around within said socket, the same being provided at its inner and outer edges thereof with flaps or lips and means for attaching said flaps at the mouth portion and also inwardly beyond, the mouth portion of the socket.

12. An artificial limb or member havin a stump socket at an end thereof, an inflata le sack extending around within said socket, the same being provided at the outer edge thereof with a longitudinally extending flap or li the same being overlapped relatively to t e sack portion thereof and connected witlh the mouth portion of the stump socket wa 13. An artificial limb having a stump socket at an end thereof made with double separable Walls or thicknesses, an inflatable sack extending around within said socket and having at the outer edge thereof a longs tudinally extending flap overlapped and disposed within the-said separable socket walls and connected thereto.

1-1. An artificial limb having a stamp socket at an end thereof made with double separable walls or thicknesses, an inflatable sack extending around within said socket and having at the outer and inner edges thereof longitudinally extending flaps, the outer llaps being overlapped and disposed within the said separable socket walls and connected thereto, and means for connecting I the inner edge flap within the stump socket.

15. A cushioning band for a stump socket of an artificial limb comprising an inflatable sack adapted to extend around within the seem? mouth portion of the. socket and having at an edge. thereof a flap or lip by means of which to secure the sack witlnn,- and to the stump socket wall.

16. A cushioning band for an artificial limb stump socket com rising an inflatable sack adapted to exten around within the mouth portionef the socket and having at opfosite edges longitudinal flaps each pro- V1 ed with a row of eyes, for lacings or like securing means.

Signed by me at Brattleboro, Vt. 1n presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE X. ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

CORA M. ROBERTS. CHARLES A. BQYDEN. 

